Editor's note: Manami Matsui adopted Pochi, a stray, homeless dog whom she had to capture in order to take care of her. Just days later, Pochi delivered a litter of puppies, and with loving care from Manami and her family, then gradually integrated more fully with her human family. Still, Pochi retained some of the characteristics of having lived as a stray animal.

A month after the earthquake and resulting nuclear disaster at Fukushima in 2011, Pochi (and also one of her pups) developed scirrhous cancer [a hard dense cancerous growth usually arising from connective tissue] as a result of radiation exposure. In Pochi’s case it was thought unsuitable to medically treat her.

Manami began treating Pochi with a series of flower essences and other modalities. Among others, two key essences used with Pochi were Centaury and Pussy Paws. Over the course of time, Pochi no longer exhibited hyper-alert behavior (residual behaviors from when she lived as a stray) and her body expelled the cancerous tumor.

Pochi was abandoned before becoming a mature dog, and had stayed in the area as a stray, homeless dog. When I saw her looking for food, I followed her and threw pieces of bread for her. She was extremely cautious—she went to pick up the food I threw only after I had left. She never became attached to anyone, and bared her fangs if I tried to capture her. I consulted a specialist with an animal protection group, and a cage for capturing the dog was delivered to my home free of charge. I placed pieces of meat inside the cage and tried to capture Pochi numerous times. However, she was extremely clever and did not show signs of coming anywhere near it.

Being a stray dog, Pochi was also suffering from severe flea damage. The skin around the stomach was red and sore; it was heart-wrenching to see her squirm because of severe itchiness.

In those days, she had opened her heart only to my son who was then a kindergartener, so much so that she allowed only him to touch her. She would hold his arm between her teeth, playfully pull it, and fool around with it. When it became time to take my son to the kindergarten bus stop, Pochi always appeared from nowhere and saw him ride the bus. This became her daily routine.

One day, it snowed heavily. Because she was pregnant and could not move as nimbly as usual, she was sitting on the ground amid the long continuing snowstorm. Even if she gave birth to a puppy at the time, it was so cold that it most likely had no chance of survival. I thought that it was now or never: I simply had to capture and protect her. I then came up with a game plan. It was white everywhere because of the snow storm. My family and I pretended that we were trying to plow the snow, and, in the backyard, built a large walled fence, about a meter high, with snow. I left just one small opening on the side. After everything was ready, I told my son to call Pochi by name. Helped in part by the snow storm, Pochi lost visibility and a sense of direction. The minute she wandered into the fence, I quickly covered the entry/exit with snow. Pochi realized what happened, and tried to climb the snow fence to escape. However, because she was heavy and clumsy from being pregnant, she slipped and slid down to the ground. I wore layers of gloves to protect my hands from being bitten, as well as heavy-duty shoes. I covered the dog with a net which I had prepared beforehand, and succeeded in capturing her.

Several days later, Pochi gave birth to four adorable puppies. Watching us take care of the newborns with love and devotion, Pochi slowly began to open up her heart to us.

Pochi learns to bond with our family

For a while after being captured, Pochi continued to emit a beastly smell. Even when going on a walk, she habitually ate nuts from a tree. Her favorite was insects—cicadas, in particular. When the cicada season arrived, she continued to eat the insects that fell from a tree. This habit continued for the rest of her life.

When she was a stray dog, moreover, she had the habit of stealing shoes that were left in the front yard, no matter who they belonged to. This caused a problem in the neighborhood, and because of this, many neighbors threw rocks at her whenever they spotted her.

Pochi gradually became attached to me and my family, and had opened up her heart toward us. However, when I carried her in my arms, she would tighten her entire body, stiffen her limbs, and open her mouth from sheer tension, unable to roll up her spine [relax]. This remained unchanged for many years.

She never trusted other people, and bit them without ever barking or growling, while quietly hunting for her prey. These were behaviors not seen with ordinary dogs. For many years, she continued with her bad habit of biting her targets without a miss.

Pochi develops a tumor in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster

On March 11, 2011, a huge earthquake occurred, followed by a horrendous tsunami. Together, they brought down and destroyed the Fukushima nuclear power plants.

On a day that rained for the first time after the nuclear power plant had collapsed, I went out and walked my dogs. I wore a raincoat to protect myself from getting wet from the rain. However, by the time I reached home and finished wiping dry the dogs’ bodies that had become wet from the rain, I began feeling terribly sick. I could immediately tell that I had been exposed to a mild level of radiation. I felt a sense of fatigue all over my body, as well as pain as if each one of my cells was scratched and torn apart. I felt so sick that I could not move my body. I washed my hands with running water, but the symptoms did not go away. I lay down on my living room sofa, and, while lying down, I manually performed osteopathy. I then took Yarrow Environmental Solution. I gradually recovered, well enough to move around a bit. My son, who was a student at the time and was out of the house, came home, dripping wet with rain. He immediately complained that he felt ill and collapsed.

About a month after March 11th, I discovered a swelling, about 1.5 cm in diameter, in Pochi’s face below her left eye. I immediately took Pochi to my usual veterinarian. A sarcoma that resembled an open flower with zigzag edges was found inside Pochi’s oral cavity, in the upper part of her left jaw. The dog was diagnosed with scirrhous cancer. The vet explained that scirrhous cancer that develops inside the oral cavity has the characteristic of metastasizing at tremendous speed once it is exposed to stimulation. He added that surgery was too risky and unsuitable for Pochi. Because of her advancing age, Pochi was diagnosed to be physically and mentally unable to endure radiation therapy after receiving general anesthesia. I was told that no treatment method whatsoever was available for her.

At the time of the disaster, I had an acquaintance who worked at an oil drilling company. Having studied natural science and earth sciences, he was an expert on geology. He measured the radiation levels and the ambient dose rate, using a radiation meter. He explained to me that high radiation measurement values comparable to those measured in Chernobyl were obtained from neighborhood ditches, for example, although they were values measured via an ambient dose rate meter. Areas close to Tokyo, too, must have had radiation levels that required evacuation to indoor areas.

Since this day forward, I began mixing the flower essences into Pochi's and the other family dogs' daily meals. I also mixed flower essences into Self-Heal Creme, and while applying it to Pochi’s skin, I performed osteopathic healing using life vibrations.

Revival of the earth and ground

On the entire land and ground meanwhile, I blended essences containing Magenta Mantle, Yarrow Environmental Solution, Angelica and Olive, and sprayed the mixture several times over the dogs’ sphere of activities as well as on their astral bodies.

To listen to the voice of Pochi’s soul, I conducted a reading, using affirmation cards for the Bach, FES Quintessentials and Range of Light essences.

First, I closed my eyes, blocked all the five senses, and opened the Sixth Chakra—the Third Eye. While keeping my eyes shut, I mixed all the cards in a clockwise direction. I then drew a card to which my hand was naturally led.

I drew a card for Centaury, which is one of Dr. Bach’s flower remedies.

Centaury’s pale pink color represents modest and sincere love. The geometric form of the five petals is believed to indicate its intention of being incarnated on this earth and be of service to human beings. The flowers of Centaury are not very distinctive. Because they are modest, they are not good at asserting themselves. However, depletion is occurring in the deep layers of the soul. This is because a conflict has occurred within the self, which has already passed the stage of being merely “gentle” and has become subservient to others. The soul is laden with a deep psychology that yearns for freedom and liberation.

Pochi was extremely modest and highly loyal to my family and me; she had never cried as long as she lived, no matter what the circumstances were. This is because she grew up amid great nature as a wild stray dog. She never learned to be dependent on other people. She never asserted herself—as if she was a domestic servant—and was extremely unobtrusive in everything she did. But, in contrast to her sincere sense of loyalty, she occasionally attempted to run away. She ran around the hills and fields, and did not return until she was fully satisfied.

I felt that Centaury’s archetype was a remedy that described extremely accurately the state of Pochi’s soul.

Immediately after using these flower essences, I found that Pochi’s facial expression became gentler. She no longer opened her mouth even if I held her in my arms; the stiffness of her body relaxed as well. She began to open her heart to other people, exposed her stomach to them, urged them to stroke her, and never bit people again.

Pochi’s sarcoma gradually became smaller. Several months later, my mother discovered a piece of flesh that had fallen close to Pochi. My mother felt that the dog’s cancer finally expelled itself from Pochi’s body. Surprised beyond words, she called me to take a look. I checked the piece of flesh, and found that it was Pochi’s scirrhous cancer that had grown inside her oral cavity. It was the sarcoma that had detached completely from the oral cavity, and she spit it out.

The sarcoma, about 5 cm in diameter, showed a nucleus inside each cell. I picked it up, making sure not to touch it with my bare hands, let it stand for a while, and observed it. It did not show signs of rotting even after being left to stand for numerous days. It appeared weird. I then placed the piece outside under the sun for several days to purify it. The scirrhous cancer cell grew smaller little by little without rotting, with just the water evaporating. I later disposed of it.

Pussy Paws for fear of being touched

Pussy Paws has a soft flower, with each small aggregate containing a seed inside. The archetype of Pussy Paws is “fear of being touched” which shows a state in which balance has become lost. The boundary that separates areas of contact and non-contact shows a stiff, rigid state. I therefore believe that it has become an outstanding archetypal remedy for the state of Pochi’s body and soul.

This is just my speculation, but radiation exposure may have the effect of stiffening the boundary between cells and the ether body. Cancer cells are created from a person’s own cells. The keys to canceration may be found in abnormalities in the bioelectric system that encourage apoptosis as a result of some sort of inconveniences having occurred in the bioelectricity of both cells, as well as a cell’s potential field. The characteristics of Pussy Paws’ soft flower vibrations are believed to have worked positively on the cells that had reacted stiffly to “skinship,” of being touched.

About Manami Matsui

Manami Matsui, representative, Tree of Life. A body-mind therapist.

1984: Received teachings from Senboku Shinohara, a master teacher of Unmeigaku and Nine Star Qi Astrology (classical Japanese energy academia).

2003: Received instructions on bone adjustment from Susumu Higa, founder of Okinawa’s Higa Susumu Technique Intelligence (HSTi), and was appointed director of HSTi’s Tokyo Branch Store.

2010: Took classes offered by Ms. Mitose Ukai, representative of the Association for Flower Essence Education, Japan (AFEEJ), and has been studying flower essences to date.